Another Road
by TotallyAwesome3858
Summary: After Link creates a new life style, he gains the seven years of his life he never had in a way he didn't expect.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Predicament.

Link:

"Link you're a hero!" Talt cheered. I was hardly listening, my mind was fixed on the rising sun. I looked past the wedding party into the distance at the canyon. Termina was actually pretty when it wasn't in danger.

"Link?" Talt was getting annoyed. But, I already knew I was a hero. why did I need her to tell me again? I looked up at her and faked a smile. Of course I was happy that I got to help all of these people. That was also the problem. The one person I got true joy out of helping... She was the one I left behind.

I began to walk back into Clock Town. It felt like I had been there for months. The crushing reality, no matter how I looked at it, was that I had only been here for three days. All I wanted was to be back home. My hand slipped into my pocket and pulled out the ocarina, the one piece of my past I still had. Slowly I played the all too familiar notes. They echoed far... But something was wrong. Something sounded wrong. I opened my eyes to looked down at the instrument I was playing. It was still the same ocarina, and I had to have played the right notes...

I tried again. Still I ws standing in the middle of Clock Town, in front of the Tower. I played again, and again. My eyes snapped open when I heard a weird sound. A few people around me were applauding, as if I was performing. Before my panic took over I took a little bow, then ran toward East Clock Town. I still somehow ad that room in the Inn. So, that's where I went.

Anju wasn't at the front desk. But she did just get married a few hours ago. It didn't matter anyway. All I wanted was a little privacy. I sat down on my bed then played the ocarina once again. After about three more times I finally realized something. I didn't know the notes... I forgot them. The song didn't sound right, but I couldn't even remember how it should sound. My mind was racing and I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ear drums. I was stuck.

Zelda:

Sometimes it was hard to think about the past, or the future I guess. From the moment that Link left, I never stopped thinking about how I altered his life. Of course, I knew he was chosen to be the Hero of Time. But he was so young. Nobody deserves to have their future forced upon them. Especially when their future was doomed.

I guess it wasn't all bad though. Link was able to rise to his destiny. Ganondorf was defeated and sealed away. Then Link was able to get his time back. Although, it really doesn't feel like it. I can still remember those seven years perfectly, I'm sure Link could too.

I spent the last four days just staring out of my window. When Link left he said nothing to me about where he was going, or if he would ever come back. My guilt rose with every passing night. I just wanted to know that Link was okay, but there was no way.

"Princess," Impa entered my room. "You need to move on." I tore my eyes off of the distance and faced Impa. She looked worried. I said nothing to her. "Come on, I'm sure Link is fine. He's a hero after all."

"I know, I know. But I just have this feeling that he left because of me. After all, he didn't even say goodbye. Impa, I want to find him." I stood up.

"Zelda, you know you can't do that."

"Why not?"

"You're just a child." Upon saying this, Impa turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Her words both stung and gave me inspiration. Being a child never stopped me before. Especially now, when I knew that when we were just kids Link and I opened the door of time all by ourselves.

My mind was made up. I was going to find my friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Reunion.

_Seven years later._

Link:

As I aged, I realized that my masked forms were able to get stronger as I did. My Deku form could now fly great distances. In Goron form, I could move mountains. As a Zora, I was the fastest swimmer in the water.

Life in Termina wasn't all that bad. I lived in my little hotel room, although I was hardly there. Anju and Kafei were the only people I talked to. Often at night we would sit in the kitchen for hours just talking. I was too scared to tell them my real identity or my real story. They didn't seem to mind, they liked the mysterious me. Besides, Talt went back to live with Skullkid. in all reality, I was just lonely.

During the day, I would vernture to the swamp, mountains, ocean, or canyons. I would go anywhere I could train. It's not like I didn't have time. Through the years of training and using my masks to my advantage, I started to forget about my old life.

"You know, the clock festival is next week," Anju reminded me one morning. She was excited about her wedding anniversary, she always was.

"How many years is it now?" Kafei joked, he made the same one every year.

"You know how many." Anju replied sternly. "Seven is the lucky number."

Seven... It sounded so familiar.

"I know, I know. Wait until you see the mask I made for you!" Every year Kafei made the most beautiful mask for his wife. Anju typically made two, one for him and one for me. I guess you can say Anju and Kafei adopted me. They both treated me like a son, even though I was always pretty independent.

"Link, do you remember when you saved our wedding?" Anju asked. She asked every year, and every year she sounded more grateful.

I nodded at her. Kafei patted me on the back. "Link," he said, "we were wondering if you maybe wanted to make a mask for someone this year?"

I shook my head. For some reason, I just couldn't think of ever getting married, or even having a relationship. Maybe it was because I just wasn't that type.

"Well, honey, you still have time. Besides, you're seventeen and very handsome." Anju encouraged me. I smiled at her, then left the Inn.

As I strolled through Termina Field, I stared in every direction. I had no clue what to do that day. Usually I took it easy near the festival. Mainly cause it brought back things that I had not thought of in years. My mind shuffled through years of memories. But it was just so hard to think back. I couldn't remember anything before that festival seven years ago.

Slowly I walked towards the Southern Swamp. Of course, I wasn't exactly looking where I was going. My feet just kept walking forward. Finally I looked up. Far ahead of me I saw something, it wasn't an enemy... It was a person. In fact, it was a girl. She ws advancing on me. So I panicked.

Zelda:

Growing up, I knew that I had what it takes to be a sheikah. I mean, I already saw it coming. When I turned thriteen I began training once again. This time, I was able to be better, and get everything faster. I had Impa train me to blend in with society, if I was going to find Link, I didn't want to draw a bunch of attention to myself.

Finally I turned sixteen. Three years of training let me slip out of the Castle and begin to search. I really wasn't sure where to start. There was some feeling inside of me that told me Link was nowhere in Hyrule. Eventually, I ended up in the woods. From all the maps I studied I figured it was the Lost Woods. When I was little, Impa told me many stories about that place. Mostly about how every non-Kokiri gets turned into a Stalfos if they venture into the woods.

I, however, had been here before. Well, technically I had. I remembered the way to the Sacred Forest Meadow, but I knew he wouldn't be there. I just kept wondering around until eventually, I saw a small boy.

"Hey! Stop!" He held out his hand like he was guarding the path behind him.

"I need to get through here," I said sternly. The boy jumped a little.

"Okay, well... The last person to go through here has never returned. So... Just think about that!" He moved to the side.

I wanted to ask him if Link was the last person to pass through here. This little boy had to have known Link at one point. But, I decided to just keep moving. It really took a lot of focusing to get through this path. It was hard to tell which way I was going. Or if I was even moving at all, it was incredibly dark.

Eventually I found a light. I basically ran to it, I was so despret to see something other than trees. What I did see, was a large stone wall with some kind of tower in the middle. Slowly, I walked forward toward it. It seemed to be a town. I unwrapped my face, letting my hair fall down.

Suddenly something caught my eye. It had to be a man. I crept slowly toward him, but he must have noticed me. He ran.

"Hey! Wait!" I called, running after him. I had my sights locked on him. He was fast, but I had to catch him, he looked so familiar. The man quickly turned behind a tree, I had him.

But, he was gone. All I found was a Deku scrub looking up at me. "Oh," I said, a little dissapointed. "I'm so sorry." I turned on my heel and continued to the town.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Confusion.

Link:

I watched the girl head toward town. Her face seemed so familiar, but not familiar enough for me to remember where I had seen it. She disappeared through the Clock Town gate. My short Deku scrub legs felt like jelly as I walked forward. If she was new to town, then she must be staying at the Inn, which was just basically my house.

As I ran into town, I removed my mask. While morphing into a human, I reached the gate. Before entering, I scanned the entire South Clock town. Since I didn't see her, I entered. My heart was fluttering. Something about that girl was so beautifully familiar. Her face was glued into my head. I kept viewing it over and over.

Before I knew it, I was in front of the Inn. Because I knew that she had to be in there, I decided to take the secret entrance. I morphed into my Deku self and burrowed into the flower outside. Next, I flew up into the air and landed next to the giant bell on top of the Inn. I removed my mask, then entered.

"Okay, right this way," I heard Anju say. Ten I saw her turning up the stairs. I knew she had that girl with her. Once again, I panicked. I crammed the first mask I touched onto my face, luckily it was a morphing one.

"Oh, um... Hello, if you're looking for a room I'll be right with you." Anju said to my Zora form. Luckily I had never told her of Kafei about these magical masks. Anyway, I shook my head as a response. The girl followed behind Anju, we made eye-contact for just a second. It made something in my brain click. There was something I was trying just so hard to remember. But I had no idea what it was.

I waited down in the lobby for Anju. The last thing I wanted was to cause any kind of scene... Well, I was already a Zora in a town of humans. Mainly I just wanted to be in my same room. When Anju finally came down the steps, I pointed to my name in her registry book.

"Oh, you're staying with Link?" she asked, a little confused. I knew my Zora form had the most similarities to me, especially now that I was an adult. My head shook up and down for a response. "Okay, um... I don't know where he went, but you're welcome to make yourself at home." Anju smiled sweetly at me. I returned that smile and walked up stairs.

At the top, I ran into the girl. I was cornered... I would have to talk to her...

Zelda:

This town was beautiful. It reminded me so much of Hyrule, I'm not sure why... But, everyone was so sweet to me. And, best of all, I had the undying feeling that Link was close to me.

Since I wanted to stay, I decided to get a room. The Inn was easy to find, thanks to all the signs. It seemed like the town was ready to celebrate something huge. When I got to the Inn, I decided to ask.

"So, um.. I'm not from here. What are you guys celebrating?"

The girl behind the counter lit up. "Oh! It's wonderful! Every year we have our Carnival of Time, which we celebrate by lowering our Clock Tower into a platform, then all of the townsfolk, with their masks, climb on top and pray for good luck in the future."

"Wow, that sounds great," I was impressed, Hyrule didn't have such a great tradition every year.

"Yes, and you got here just in time. It's next week!" She beamed at me. "Okay, um... Just sign your name right here." She slid a book toward me and pointed at a blank line. There was a name above it... But her hand was covering it slightly. It looked like it could have said Link... But once I signed she took the book away too fast to tell.

"Okay, right this way," the girl handed me a key and motioned for me to follow her upstairs.

On the way up, I saw something I had never seen in person before. It was a Zora! I was excited to see it, but the girl seemed to think it was ordinary. She asked him if he was staying, which he replied with a yes... Kind of. He didn't speak. As I passed him, I looked into his eyes... Something was there, something I felt like I had looked into before. When it got a little weird, I turned to face forward once again.

"Alright this is your room. My name is Anju, my husband Kafei and our son Link also stay here. If you need anything, just let us know," she turned to smile at me, but her face changed when se saw mine.

I had wrinkled my face in extreme shock. "D-did you say your son Link?" I asked.

"Oh, yes. Well, adopted son. He's been living with us for years, so we just took him in as our own. His room is right next to yours, actually. And he seems to be about your age."

"Really?" My heart was racing, I found him! It had to be him! "Well, thank you, Anju." I entered my room. It was actually very small and a little cramped. I sat down on the bed and began to change out of my Shiekah disguise. I changed into my pale blue dress, I didn't get to wear it too often.

My eyes wondered around the small room... Anju had said that Link's room was right next to mine. Maybe I was lucky enough to have that hole in the wall lead to his. I stood up and walked over to it. My cheek pressed firmly against the wall as I looked through the tiny hole. I couldn't see much, but I could see something with a familiar shape and shade of blue on the mantle piece.

Before I jumped to conclusions, I decided to try and talk to him. I left my room and entered the hallway, then I saw the Zora again. I walked toward him.

"Hello," I said to him. He didn't say anything. But he nodded his head slowly at me. "Um... So, are you here for the festival?" Another head nod. Why wasn't he talking? "Are you okay?" I asked. One more head nod before he walked a little bit passed me and into the room that was Link's.

"Wait! You know Link?" He looked at me, startled. Then eventually nodded quickly this time. I was going to ask a follow up question, but he dissappeared behind a closed door.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Missing.

Link:

I shut the door tightly behind me and listened for her to leave. She knew me, she knew my name. My back hit the door as I gently slid down to the floor. I pulled the mask off my face and placed it on the floor. Obviously something weird was going on. I had no idea who this girl was.

My eyes shut, then my mind raced though years and years of memories. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't figure out where I had seen her before. And her voice... It sounded like I had heard it say my name before.

After a long while, I got a headache. My hands rubbed my temples, then pushed against the floor to help me stand up. It was now well into the night. I shuffled over to my bed and threw myself down.

The next morning, I decided to go to greet everyone as a Zora. This girl knew my name. Even though she was absolutely beautiful, she could be dangerous. I walked down the stairs slowly, listening to the conversation in the kitchen. I only heard Anju and Kafei... Not the girl...

"Well I haven't seen him since yesterday morning... Kafei, what if he's mad at us?"

"What would he be mad at us about?"

"I don't know... We did try to force a date on him yesterday. What if he's trying to avoid the carnival now?"

"Anju, he'll be fine. You know how he gets about training."

Well, at least they were being normal. They really did treat me like their own. I finally hit the last stair when I noticed the door to Grandma's room was opened. I peeked inside to see the girl looking through books. My head ripped backwards out of the door to prevent her from seeing me. I continued into the kitchen to see Anju and Kafei sitting at the table.

"Hello again," Anju said. "Have you see Link around?"

I shook my head back and forth, then Anju looked down at her hands. Kafei suddenly spoke. "I thought I recognized you!" My stomach fell to the floor. "You're Mikau! From the Indigo-go's! I remember you guys from last year!"

It's amazing how much I forget. Mikau's dying wish was for me to carry on his legacy. Of course, I explained to Lulu who I was. But I still helped out the band in anyway I could. Now that the Zora babies were growing up, I had been doing less though. Anyway, I nodded my head to Kafei, who looked excited.

"Well, it's great to have you Mikau. Since you are a friend of Link's can I ask you something?" I nodded. "Can you please try to find him? I was really hoping that he could take the young lady to the carnival." Once again my stomach fell.

"Anju, you were just talking about how you made Link uncomfortable about that kind of thing."

"Well I can't help it. He just seems so lonely, I mean, he won't even talk..."

"He has never talked. That's not a big deal."

I felt a little weird listening to their conversation. Through all my adventures, I had become a professional eavesdropper, but it was still weird to be in the room when they were talking about me. Kafei must have sensed my discomfort.

"Sorry about that, Mikau. We just worry about him."

I smiled a little at them both. Then I waved and decided to go back up tot my room. If Anju wanted me to go to the Carnival so bad, then I had some work to do.

Zelda:

I stood in the hallway for a few minutes, staring at the closed door. That Zora knew Link. He had to. I decided to go talk to Anju, I needed some more information.

Anju was cooking in the kitchen when I entered. "Hello," I said shyly.

"Hi, dear. Come on in." She motioned me to the table. I took a seat. "So where do you come from?"

"Very far away. Actually, I come from the same place as Link."

"You know Link?" She seemed surprised.

"Yes, I've been trying to find him for years... There was kind of a big mess. But, seven years ago, he left. It was my fault, and all I want is to know that he's safe. I kind of followed him here, I mean, I didn't exactly know that he came this way... I just guessed. Now that I know he's here, or at least I think I know, I have to find him."

"How sweet. Well, I wish I could be more help... I hardly know anything about Link. He doesn't exactly talk much. But he became quite a hero here, especially to me and Kafei. You see, seven years ago, a powerful mask fell into the hands of someone weak. I'm not sure how, but this mask created a moon that was going to crush this town in three days. During those three days, the mask played many tricks, like turning my then fiance into a child. Link came to our rescue though. He defeated the mask, and managed to help every person in this town at the same time. He's an amazing person."

It brought a smile to my face to hear that Link was able to stay a hero. Then the guilt overcame me."Yes, he really is... Right before he came here he saved our home land. But, I think that's why he left. I pushed the saving the world thing on him, and he was just a child... Kind of..."

"Oh, honey. You can't force a hero to be a hero. Link is naturally heroic. If he wasn't, then he would have failed. You did nothing wrong."

Anju was right... Suddenly, I felt better than I had in years. "Anju, do you know where Link is?"

"I really wish I did, honey. I think if you want to find him your best bet is to wait here for him. I'm sure he'll be back fot he carnival."

Great, once again, he was missing.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: The Festival.

Link:

I have to admit, I was beginning to like hiding my identity. The girl kept asking about me, she was even asking me if I had seen me. Even though she could be dangerous, I figured it couldn't hurt to take her to the festival. After all, everyone in town and then some would be there. If she really wanted to do anything, it wouldn't be there. Besides, something about her made me feel like I should be with her...

After days of avoiding everyone, it was finally the eve of the festival. I had been working on the perfect mask to give to that girl, so she couldn't refuse. The only problem would be how to reveal myself to her... My face was cover by a mask and by body morphed one again.

I walked out to the hallway to find the girl leaving her room. My heart skipped a beat and I looked away from her. The door gently shut and I began to shuffle down the hallway.

"Mikau, wait," she said. I halted, but didn't turn around. "I have to ask you something. I have this feeling, I really have to see if I'm right."

Now I turned to face her. "Mikau, there's a hole in the wall that our rooms share. I'll admit that I looked through it when I first got here. There's something on your mantle, please, you have to let me see it."

I was a little confused. She seemed perfectly serious, but how could she be? I was just asked about something that I haven't though of for years... However, I had to reason not to let her see it. My eyes never left hers as I reached for the door knob and gently opened the door. She followed me inside and shut the door behind us. I crossed the room and grabbed the tiny instrument off of the mantle. It felt weird to hold it again, I actually forgot how. When I handed it over, she gasped.

"I knew it was you..." she whispered. I jumped back a little. She must have noticed the weird look on my face. "This is the Ocarina of Time. It's passed down through the Royal Family. I gave it to you, Link. Seven years ago I gave this to you to open the door of time. Remember? Then I taught you this song... The song that reminds me of us."

She raised the ocarina up to her mouth and gently began playing. With every note, hundreds of memories came back to me. I remembered that song, I remembered playing it, I remembered the ocarina, and I remembered her...

She stopped playing. "Link, I know it's you. You're the chosen hero, and you're the only one that would have this ocarina. The only thing I can't explain is why you're a Zora..."

Suddenly I remembered how to breathe. My hand slowly moved up to my face and removed the mask.

Zelda:

In a half of a second the Zora I was talking to was gone and replaced by Link. Just like I thought. "I knew it," I whispered.

He looked at me as if he was half terrified and half shocked. My heart was beating out of my chest into my ears. "Link... Please tell me. Why did you leave?"

This brought up an endless conversation. He told me everything. We had never gotten a chance to talk, he just left. He told me about his entire quest that I put him through. But, he never mentioned anything about being angry. He did, however, tell me that he lost his best friend, the guardian fairy that he never should have gotten. Then he elaborated on what Anju told me the other day, how he saved this land just like Hyrule. He explained that he was here by accident, just trying to find his friend.

"Link, I had no idea... Why didn't you ever come home?"

This started another story, how he forgot the Song of Time. He couldn't tell me why, but for some reason, he just forgot about his old life. Of course, he was stuck in the same three days for the longest time, so I guess I couldn't question it too much. When he was finally I done explaining, I couldn't help just staring at him.

Link:

It was all out now. My whole entire life just shifted around, resulting in a weird time paradox. Now that I remembered her, I remembered seeing her after defeating Ganon. The weird thing was, that probably hasn't even happened yet. Well, it had to have happened, just in a different time, a completely different time.

She looked at me, but said nothing. Finally, after a long moment of silence, she took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around me. "I'm just so glad you're okay," she whispered. I pulled away from her and went over to the other side of the room. There was a certain tradition that I was dying to follow. All the days that I stayed up in my room were spent crafting a mask.

Clock Town really knew how to celebrate. The entire town was covered with masks and clocks. It was really pretty. I escorted Zelda through the crowds of dancing people. She was wearing the mask I made for her. I had to admit, it was pretty ugly. It was actually surprising that she was even wearing it.

Midnight came much faster than I expected. The time actually flew for once in my life. When the Clock Tower opened, I took Zelda's hand. She grasped mine in return, and we climbed the stairs together. At the top, almost everyone in town was staring into the sky. I, however, had my eyes fixed on something else.

Suddenly, Zelda ripped her eyes away from the stars. "Link, I think I know what my wish is." I smiled down at her, urging her on. "Well, I know it's going to sound weird... But I have this feeling that we're... Destined to be together." I stared at her. Was she going to go on?

"Link, all I want is for us to be together. I don't care if it's here, or back home. I just don't want to see you leave me again."

I was a little taken aback. But then I felt the exact same way. The only problem was that I didn't know how to respond. So, I did it the best way I could. I simply leaned down slightly and gently touched my lips to hers.


End file.
